Fuente Fuente Opus X "Power Ranger" xXx

Before the release of the Fuente Fuente Opus X line of cigars in 1995, the idea of a Dominican Republic puro (i.e. a cigar made with all Dominican tobacco) was scoffed at by most cigar manufacturers. The soil of the Dominican Republic, it was said, could not support the growth of the delicate tobacco leaf needed for the wrappers of cigars.

But, in the early 1990′s Carlos Fuente and his son Carlos Fuente Jr. set out to prove the nay-sayers wrong, and began an experimental wrapper leaf growing operation in the Dominican Republic that they dubbed “Project X”. Project X was a huge success, and it is after this secret operation that the Fuente Fuente Opus X derives it’s name.

Today I am reviewing the Belicoso vitola of the Fuente Fuente Opus X line, which is called the xXx and is often referred to as the “Power Ranger” because of it’s strength and full-bodied nature. What did I think of the Opus X Power Ranger? Read on to find out:

CIGAR INFORMATION
Vitola/Size: Belicoso (4 5/8″ x 49)
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: Vitolas.net puts the MSRP (before taxes) of the Opus X Power Ranger at $10.25, but I’ve seen them going online for as high as $24.00 each.

PRE-SMOKE
Appearance: Each Power Ranger comes wrapped in cellophane with the words “Fuente Fuente Opus X” printed in gold lettering on it. It also sports a wide, very ornate band and a red ribbon band at the foot.
Wrapper Colour: Meduim brown, with a couple of small discolourations which are likely sun spots or perhaps a side-effect of the tobacco curing process.
Feel: Quite solid with very little give and no soft spots.
Scent of wrapper: Quite pungent with a chicken coop scent.
Scent of foot: Rich tobacco with a touch of sweetness to it.
Flavour on Draw: Mossy with a little spice.

SMOKE
Resting Smoke: The resting smoke of the Fuente Fuente Opus X Power Ranger is very rich and sweet, and has a scent that reminded me a little of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. I’m not sure if it was some sort of nutmeg or ginger scent, but it definitely made me think of chocolate chip cookies.
Taste – initial 3rd: Right off the bat, I was hit with some very nice peppery spice, but this pepper quickly fades into the background after the first quarter of an inch or so. After the initial blast of pepper, this cigar becomes very leathery for the rest of the first third with a bit of coffee and orange peel/citrus on the finish. The retro-hale is quite mild with very little spice, but it has a bit of a nuttiness flavour to it.
Taste – middle 3rd: The middle third of the Opus X Power Ranger was very much like the initial third, with the main flavours being leather and coffee. There was also a bit of a toasted nuts flavour that appeared from time to time. The retro-hale was very peppery and it made me tear up a bit.
Taste – final 3rd: The final third was again very consistent with the first two-thirds of the stick. Although heavier and more pronounced, the main flavours of this little belicoso continued to be leather and coffee. Again the flavour of toasted nuts crept in from time to time, as well as a dark chocolate/cocoa taste which was quite nice. I was a little weary to try to retro-hale the smoke again, but in the interest of doing a thorough review I decided to bite the bullet and retro-hale this bad boy. Surprisingly, it wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be, in fact it was pretty much the same as the retro-hale of the middle third.
Strength: I would say the Fuente Fuente Opus X Power Ranger starts in the medium-full bodied range and climbs to a solid full by the middle of the stick.
Feeling: This cigar produced a ton of flavourful smoke, but the smoke was quite thin.
Heat on Fingers and in Mouth: The final third heated up quite a bit, but I was smoking this cigar a little on the fast side.
Draw: Spot on, perfect!
Finish: Medium-long.
Construction: The construction of the Opus X Power Ranger was just about perfect! It was jam packed with tobacco, and as soon as I hefted it, I could tell it was a quality stick. The only draw backs were the burn line and ash which were a little wonky at times, but other than that I had no complaints.
Other aspects: I clipped the head of this cigar with my Xikar guillotine cutter and toasted the foot with my Ronson Jet Lite torch.
Libation: None.

FINAL VERDICT
Like It: Yes. It was a very consistent stick, with some very nice flavours and it didn’t have that harsh taste that lingers at the back of the palate like other Opus X cigars I’ve had.
Buy It Again: Probably. I won’t be rushing out to buy a box of these anytime soon, but I will probably be buying a 5er of these when my current stash runs out.
Recommend It: Yes and no. I can’t recommend this cigar to novice smokers because of it’s full-bodied flavours and higher price tag, but I would recommend it for someone who is looking for a consistent cigar with some very nice flavours.

Some pics of the experience: